Tebbitoby



(No Model.)

J. KNOGHE.

AMALGAMATOR.

Patented Dec. 9, 188 4 I y N'Mmmmmms j z "If e M16074 N. PETERS. Fhnw-Lllllogmphcr, Wnshulgmn. D c.

Warren Starts Parinvir (barren.

JOHN KNOOHE, OF GLANCEY, MONTANA TITERRITO RY.

AMALGAMATUR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,148, dated December 9, 1884. Application filed October 16,1883. (No modehl T0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jorrn Knooi-rn, citi zen of the United States, residing at Glancey, in the county of Jefferson and Territory of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Washing, Separating, Concentrating, and Amalgamating Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for the separation, concentration, and amalgamation of ores. Its object is to save the lighter particles of the precious metals which in the ordinary washers and concentrators are carried off during the process.

With this object in view the invention con-' sists in the peculiar shape of the buddle and the shape and arrangement of the shoes by which the pulp undergoing treatment is pre vented from splashing over the huddle and carried toward the center.

It also consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, all. of which will be first i'ull y described, and then partica larly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar referencedetters indicate like parts wherever they occur in the different views, Figure 1 is a view, partly in central vertical section and partly in side elevation, of my improved device. 2 1s a top plan view on a reduced scale of the bottom of the pan or huddle. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken through the rotating arm, showing one of the mixing-shoes and muller in end elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through line a a; of Fig.

The bar from which the shoes are suspended is shown in dotted line to represent the relative positions of the bar and shoes when secured in place. The shoes are shown in top plan view. The pan or mixing-vessel A' has its rim inclined inward toward the top, the shape of the vessel being the frustum of a cone. It is preferably made of wood. The bottom is lined or paved with stone or castiron. This lining B, Fig. 2, is grooved from the periphery to the center. The grooves 12 are curved or angular, so as to allow the shoes 0 to slide around the bottom without catching on the edges of the grooves when the shoes are used as mullers to grind the pulp upon the bottom B. The grooves J) gradually deepen from the rim toward the central dischargeopening, I). The vessel is secured inaframe, D, in which is mounted a vertically-sliding revolving shaft, E. On the lower end of the shaft E is secured to be revolved by the shaft an arm, F. This arm is perforated with two rows of holes-one row upon each side of its central lineto receive the shafts or bars 0, to which the shoes 0 are suspended. The bars 0 are secured in the rotating arms F by nuts above and below the arms F, so that the shoes are vertically adjustable in the arms to compensato for the unequal wear of the shoes. The arms F are by similar means vertically adjustable on the shaft E. The shoes 0 are circular on their leading faces, and taper from their outer top edges down toward their inner top edges. They are placed diagonal to the arm F, so that the outer ends of the shoes lead when the arm F revolves.

The object of theparticular shape and arrangement oi the shoes is to overcome the centrifugal force imparted to the contents of the vessel by the mixers O and carry the contents toward the center. The shoes upon the opposite sides of the central shaft are so placed that they traverse diil'erent circular paths, those upon one side following between the paths traversed by those upon the opposite side; thus the whole of the pulp is brought under their action, and when used as grinders upon the bottom of the pan every part of the bottom is rubbed by the shoes. I have shown but two arms, F, extending from the center upon opposite sides of the driving-shaft E; but the number may be increased to suit the work being done, and the size and number of the shoes used may of course be varied without departing from the principle of the invention. The vertically-sliding shaft E, with its connections, is elevated and lowered by .means of the lever G, which has its fulcrum in a post, (1, projecting up from the top rail of the frame D. The forked end of the lever embraces the shaft between a fixed collar, 6, and the driving-pulley H. Below the driving-pulley is another collar, 6. The two collars are secured upon the shaft by set-screws, and the driving- I00 pulley is splined upon the shaft, so that the shoe-frame or arm F may be set to any position relative to the bottom of the pan A. The lever G is operated by a cord, 9, attached to a brake-lever, windlass, or other suitable mechanism to elevate the shaft E and the mixing-shoes.

Back of the shoes 0 are plates 0, of copper. These are held against the shoes by the bars 0, between which and the shoes the copper plates are clamped by the screws which secure the shoes in place. ,To these plates some of the mercury used in the process of amalgamating adheres, and the very divided metal is collected upon the plates.

The operation of the device is as follows: The crushed or ground ore,as it comes from the mill is placed in the vessel A. to the proper depth, the shoes being at the time elevated above the vessel. A stream of water is turned into the pan and the shoes let down to their work. They first act upon the top of the ore, and are gradually let down as the pulp be comes thoroughly mixed. The quicksilver which has been placed in the pan gradually settles into the grooves I), and during the operation all parts of-the pulp are brought successively in contact with the mercury. During the rotation of the shoes around the pan there is no tendency of the water or the pulp to be splashed over the top of the vessehwhile the earthy light substances will be carried off with the overflow. Vhen the overflow is clear, the light earthy matter will have been all washed out of the pulp, leaving the rich ore and sulphates. The shoes are now elevated to clear the upper edge of the vessel, and the water decanted or drawn off, after which the mercury or amalgam is drawn off through the center opening. Through an opening in the vessel A, on a level or a little below the level of the floor B, the mineral substances are then removed and the vessel is ready to receive another charge.

The copper plates c, when charged with amalgam, may be removed and cleaned.

It is evident that the cone-shaped vessel A may be used to advantage with the ordinary mullers now in use, and that my particulararrangement of shoes or mullers may be used to advantage with the common amalgan'iating or concentrating pans.

- I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed to so arrange the driving mechanism of an amalgamating-maehine as to admit of 5 the raising and lowering the mullers without interfering with their rotation, in order that said mullers may be operated at a greater or less distance from the bottom of the pan; but I am not aware that any one prior to my invention has ever proposed so constructing such a machine that the mullers may be raised entirely clear of the upper edge of the pan without disconnecting the muller-shaft from the source of power.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to secure copper strips or plates to the mullers or shoes of amalgamators; but I am not aware that such copper plates have heretofore been secured to the backs of said shoes by the same means which secures the shoes to their holders or supports, thereby providing for the ready adjustment or removal of said plates.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the amalgamating-pan, the side walls of which slope inwardly toward the top, and the rotary mullers having their leading faces arranged diagonal to the radii of the pan, whereby the pulp is deflected toward the center of the pan by the rotary movement of the mullers.

2. The combination, with the amalgamating and the rotating arm, of the mullers tapering from their outer to their inner ends, and having their eoncaved leading faces arranged diagonally with relation to the radii of the pan, whereby the pulp is directed toward the center of the pan by the rotary movement of the mullers, substantially as described.

3. The combination,with the mixing-vessel and the frame, of the rotating shaft, the 001 lars e e, for adjustably securing said shaft, and the bifurcated lever for raising the mullers to clear the upper edge of the vessel and lowering them to their work while the machine is in operation, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a shoe or muller of an amalgamating device, of a copper plate, as c, detachably secured to the back of the shoe for the purpose of collecting the lighter particles of the precious ores.

JOHN KNOCHE.

-\Vitnesses:

GEO. JllIURRAY, P. BALER.

ICO 

